(Not Applicable)
The present invention generally relates to a method of tracking groups, and more particularly to an improved method of tracking groups while facilitating group continuity and establishing a plurality of alternate new groups thereafter in response to performing one of three operational modes.
The concept of group tracking in commercial and military applications is well known. Group tracking may have wide variety of applications in the aerospace industry, substantially extending to all forms of military related operations. More specifically, the concept of group tracking may prove to be valuable during times of hostility, such as in warfare for example. Thus, group tracking has become a vital and integral process in the aerospace industry, as well as other related industries.
In particular, group tracking may yield advantages in both offensive and defensive settings. By way of example, the concept of group tracking may be applicable to analyze and identify enemy targets for the purpose of launching strategic offensive strikes thereagainst. In the alternative, group tracking may further be used to exploit enemy targets so that calculated defensive maneuvers may be taken thereby. Simply put, the concept of group tracking is a necessary and bona fide tool in times and environments of hostility.
However, group tracking has its share of disadvantages. More specifically, group tracking algorithms currently being utilized are user-unfriendly and limited in capabilities. When such algorithms transition into a readable form on a radar display, a highly skilled personnel may be needed to unravel such manifestation. More particularly, the current group tracking algorithms may be sensitive to even slightest variations in the received data. Such sensitivity may propagate the detected groups (e.g., an aggregate of targets) to constantly change in form such that its membership certainty and group continuity are significantly mitigated. Therefore, an increase in display clutter and a decrease in battle management picture may occur as a result.
Moreover, the current group tracking algorithms may further produce adverse effects of measurement miscorrelations and false alarms because they are dependent upon noisy sensor measurements. Such adverse effects may oftentimes be costly when strategic and calculated military operations are involved. In other words, even a slightest mistake in exploitation of enemy targets may defeat the whole purpose of conducting strategic and calculated military operations.
In addition, the group tracking algorithms currently being utilized are limited in their functional capabilities. The current group tracking, although confusingly done, is believed to merely facilitate in displaying the present locations of the enemy targets. More specifically, a description of group history or group ancestry may not be readily available to aid the user in performing an overall anaylsis (e.g., battle analysis) of the situation at hand. Even further, a simultaneous display of group history and group ancestry, along with the present locations of the enemy targets, may not be accessible to the user thereby lessening the effectiveness of the target grouping algorithms.
Thus, there has long been a need in the industry, and in the aerospace industry in particular, for a method of tracking groups while facilitating membership certainty and group continuity. Moreover, there is further a need to decrease display clutter and simultaneously enhance battle management picture when being produced on a display. In particular, there is a need to make available group history and group ancestry when access thereof is desired by the user.
The present invention addresses and overcomes the above-described deficiencies by providing a method that utilizes a plurality of kinematic dual gates to facilitate association between targets in a group to increase membership certainty and group continuity. Moreover, the tracking group algorithm of the present invention provides a series of operational modes for establishing a plurality of alternate new groups and further having the capability to depict a group history and a group ancestry thereof. In this respect, not only does the present invention improve upon the prior art in terms of membership certainty, group continuity, and functional capability, but it also decreases display clutter and enhances battle management picture thereby.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for tracking a group having at least two targets. The method may comprise observing a plurality of targets, wherein each respective one of the plurality of targets has a target datum. The at least two targets are selectable from the plurality of targets. The at least two targets may be selectable based upon the respective target datum thereof.
Thereafter, a dual gate surrounding each respective one of the at least two targets may need to be defined. Furthermore, a movement of each dual gate should be determined, wherein the movement of each dual gate is synchronized with a movement of respective one of the at least two targets corresponding thereto. The dual gate of each respective one of the at least two targets may then be associated with each other. In response to such dual gate association, the group is formed. More specifically, the at least two targets are maintainable in the group as long as the association of the dual gate therebetween remains intact thereby facilitating continuity of the group.
In accordance with the methods employed in the present invention, observations of the plurality of targets may need to be received. By doing so, at least two substantially identical target data from the plurality of targets may be selected. As a result, the at least two targets corresponding to the at least two substantially identical target data may then be selected. The target datum may be chosen from the collection consisting of a target position, a target speed, a target heading, and combinations thereof.
Moreover, the plurality of targets may be ground moving targets. In addition, the dual gate of each respective one of the at least two targets comprises an inner gate and an outer gate. The inner gate and the outer gate may each have a generally rectangular configuration. More particularly, the inner gate surrounds a respective one of the at least two targets corresponding thereto to create an inner buffer zone therebetween. Additionally, the outer gate further surrounds the inner gate corresponding thereto to create an outer buffer zone therebetween.
The dual gate of each respective one of the at least two targets may coincide with each other. Such coincidence of the dual gate may consist of an inner-to-inner buffer zone, an inner-to-outer buffer zone, an outer-to-outer buffer zone, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, each respective one of the at least two targets has a target periphery, whereas the inner gate has an inner gate periphery. The inner gate is spaced uniformly around the target periphery of the respective one of the at least two targets corresponding thereto. The outer gate is spaced uniformly around the inner gate periphery of the inner gate corresponding thereto.
In accordance with the methods employed in the present invention, movements of the at least two targets with respect to each other may be permitted as long as the association of the dual gate therebetween is preserved. By doing so, variations in the respective target datum corresponding to the at least two targets may be compensated so as to facilitate the continuity of the group. Moreover, an image representative of the group may be displayed on a display.
In a different embodiment of the present invention, one of three operational modes may be selected after forming the group. The three operational modes may consist of a group assignment mode, a group merge mode, and a group split mode. One of the three operational modes may be performed on the group for the purpose of forming a new group.
In particular, the group assignment mode may be selected. More specifically, at least two substantially identical target data may need to be selected from the plurality of targets. As a consequence, the at least two targets corresponding to the at least two substantially identical target data may then be selected. Thereafter, a group identification factor may be assigned to the at least two targets.
Furthermore, an another target is observed from the plurality of targets, wherein the another target may be moving towards the at least two targets. Next, the target datum of the another target is defined. The target datum of the another target may be generally same to the at least two substantially identical target data of the at least two targets. Thereafter, the another target may be merged to the at least two targets so as to share the group identification factor therebetween.
The group merge mode may also be selected. More particularly, at least two substantially identical target data is selected from the plurality of targets. By doing so, the at least two targets corresponding to the at least two substantially identical target data may then be selected. Consequently, a first group identification factor may be assigned to the at least two targets.
In addition, at least two different targets may also be observed. The at least two different targets may share substantially identical target data therebetween. As a result, a second group identification factor may be assigned to the at least two different targets. The at least two targets and the at least two different targets may converge toward one another so as to share the substantially identical target data therebetween. Thus, a third group identification factor may then be assigned to the at least two targets and the at least two different targets.
Moreover, the group split mode may be selected. More specifically, the group is observed, wherein all of the at least two targets in the group is diverging away from each other. The target datum of each respective one of the at least two targets is substantially different from one another in response to the divergence. Thereafter, the group is then eliminated based upon the substantially different target datum between all of the at least two targets.
In the alternative, only one of the at least two targets may diverge away from the at least two targets. In particular, the target datum of one of the at least two targets may be substantially different from the target datum of each respective one of the at least two targets. Thus, one of the at least two targets may be eliminated from the group based upon the substantially different target datum between one of the at least two targets and each respective one of the at least two targets.
Furthermore, some of the at least two targets may diverge away from the at least two targets. Each target datum of some of the at least two targets may be substantially different from the target datum of each respective one of the at least two targets. Consequently, some of the at least two targets is eliminated from the group based upon the substantially different target datum between some of the at least two targets and each respective one of the at least two targets.
Even further, some of the at least two targets eliminated from the group may be observed. Each target datum of some of the at least two targets may be substantially identical to each other. In response, a second group comprised of some of the at least two targets is formed. The second group is formed based upon each target datum of some of the at least two targets being substantially identical to each other.
In accordance with the methods employed in the present invention, a group database may be used to record group information as the group transitions into the new group. More specifically, the group information is retrieved from the group database, wherein an image representative of the group information is displayed on the display. Additionally, an image representative of the new group may be displayed on a display.
The group information may be a group history. The group history may be chosen from the collection consisting of a group origination time, a group origination location, a group termination time, a group termination location, an assigned group identification, a number of targets in the group, an identification of targets in the group, and combinations thereof. Moreover, the group information may be a group ancestry. The group ancestry may be chosen from the collection consisting of a group merge, a group split, and combinations thereof.